Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[danikoski]

We are staying at Bonnet Creek this summer, but no one mentioned the 60 day FP being offered there as well.

Have you stayed at Bonnet Creek? Any info is much appreciated. We are splitting our time between AKL & BC.

Thanks!

I was mistaken, it's some Disney Springs hotels that have the 60 day fast pass.

 

[edweg]

I have been researching other resort options and was shocked to see so many nicer resorts at a lower cost with no parking fees. There is not enough of an advantage to stay onsite anymore. My eyes have been opened by this greedy act.

 

[Kevin355]

Have to say, the more I stew on this the more I hate it and the less likely I am to go back to Disney at all. We've been going about every 18 months for the last ten years or so and have dumped an awful lot of money into Disney's coffers. We had some bad experiences on our last trip in January (an accumulation of little things like rude CMs, resort power outage, the EMM Fantasyland debacle, etc) and Disney did right by us when we spoke to customer service afterward. Before DW sent a letter to Guest Services we were pretty sure that we weren't coming back, at least for 3 or 4 years. After what they offered us we started talking about going back again much sooner. Now (and again, we don't even take or rent a car), I feel like the money grab just isn't going to stop. IF we go back at all, it's going to be to use the perks offered to us from GS, keeping as much of our money in our pockets as possible, and then we're likely done. I'm sad for my youngest DS who wont get to experience Disney like his brother and sister have, but I'm just not willing to take out a second mortgage for a one week vacation. Dear Disney, if your goal is to marginalize and price out the middle class, you're on the right track.

I figured that in all of our days at the parks/hotels/restaurants/golf courses...I have spent almost $40,000...and I am being generous.

 

[Cotillard]

The bubble is literally disappearing before our eyes ...

yep

 

[jrsharp21]

We are definitely doing the water park (have a 7 year old) and two days at Dollywood never even thought about anything else in the area. On the drive down we are going to explore luray caverns in va.

We had a good time at The Island At Margaritaville. Also, we had a blast on the different alpine coasters in the area. The Lightning Rod coaster at Dollywood is awesome!

 

[caisland]

Has anyone estimated how much Disney will take in on this?
With 30,000 rooms drop 10,000 for DVC, free for Handicap and convention parking and then take off half the remainder for people who don't bring a car still leaves 10,000 rooms a night. Give an conservative average of $20 parking fee per night give $200,000 a night $73,000,000 a year.

Not a small amount.

 

[Scrapdolly]

I have written to them ... Not expecting a reply or any changes, but to me if you are u happy, you write to the decision makers to let them know.

My biggest beef, apart from the fact it smacks of money grabbing, it is ...as the whole dog thing was, poorly thought out. People staying at the resort pay for the privilege of parking there. Day visitors, often staying off site get to park for free, take the monorail or bus to the parks, avoid theme park car parking charges whilst those loyal to resorts pay.
Where is the logic in that?

 

[DISNEY1975]

2. "How will they know the difference between "overnight guests", "day guests", "uber/taxi", etc?" Simple...the same as nearly every other parking system works in the US. If you have a reservation, you check in at the gate when you enter (either by magic band, or manually with the gate attendant). If you have a reservation, your parking charge is automatically billed to your portfolio for the length of your stay. If you say you are being dropped off and you don't have a car, or you have a dinner reservation, or you're just there to shop and explore the resort, etc...the driver is issued a time-stamped ticket that he/she will have to present when leaving the resort. If your ticket shows you're over whatever allotted time, YOU ARE CHARGED FOR PARKING. If you lie up front about just being a day guest, you'll get busted when you attempt to leave the parking lot a few days later, and you'll pay for parking before you're able to exit. Again, this really isn't that hard to figure out.

Lets pretend Im an A$$hole and tried to cheat the system.

I go in and say Im shopping (they might check if I say Im dining). Park for 4 nights. Then go to leave and they see Ive been parked for 4 nights. Just how exactly are they going to collect my money? How will they know exactly who I am. What if I use a prepaid debit card with basically no money on it at check in? If they catch me, are they going to grab my pocketbook and take my cash/CCs? I will simply say Ive stayed multiple times and did not know, and am now out of $$ to pay for parking.

Of course, I would never do this, but how would they really MAKE me pay if I didnt want to?

 

[DizneyMommy]

This seems to backwards to me. So anyone can come and park in MY hotel’s parking lot for free all day while they go to the parks, but then when I arrive I have to pay to park in a lot which is now super crowded from park goers. What am I missing here? All they are doing is starting a problem. At DL you pay either way, you just might get validation for a short time under the right conditions but you cannot go to the parks for free.

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

I think the opposite ........... we will be offered Preferred, Garden (that is a coveted spot under a tree) and Standard parking spots .. and will pay accordingly.

Or maybe they should just paint room numbers on the spots ....... Preferred get the best spots, Standard get the farthest spots. Three tiers, three prices.

"Club Level" parking spots will apparently go to the day visitors that for some reason are being offered special services in return for not necessarily spending a dime at the resort.

 

[revdon64]

Lets pretend Im an A$$hole and tried to cheat the system.

I go in and say Im shopping (they might check if I say Im dining). Park for 4 nights. Then go to leave and they see Ive been parked for 4 nights. Just how exactly are they going to collect my money? How will they know exactly who I am. What if I use a prepaid debit card with basically no money on it at check in? If they catch me, are they going to grab my pocketbook and take my cash/CCs? I will simply say Ive stayed multiple times and did not know, and am now out of $$ to pay for parking.

Of course, I would never do this, but how would they really MAKE me pay if I didnt want to?

You might want to add to this the fact that as of right now, there's no one minding the exit gates. In order to collect those parking fees for guests trying to game the system they'd have to alter the exit gates and probably add staffing.

 

[HopperFan]

"Club Level" parking spots will apparently go to the day visitors that for some reason are being offered special services in return for not necessarily spending a dime at the resort.

They should include a bottle of water too, like the airport parking lot and my car wash gives me.

 

[Lehuaann]

Has anyone estimated how much Disney will take in on this?
With 30,000 rooms drop 10,000 for DVC, free for Handicap and convention parking and then take off half the remainder for people who don't bring a car still leaves 10,000 rooms a night. Give an conservative average of $20 parking fee per night give $200,000 a night $73,000,000 a year.

Not a small amount.

Oh yes, no doubt in the tens of millions and free money.

 

[pattyw]

I figured that in all of our days at the parks/hotels/restaurants/golf courses...I have spent almost $40,000...and I am being generous.

I'm with you! We've been going regularly(a few times a year) since 2001- lots of $$ to Disney in that time. But, I guess they don't want us anymore! They want someone that can spend $40,000 in one trip!

 

[lambdabeta]

They might not care when the lower rate bookings get cancelled, but this is making me not want to stay on property again and I only stayed at the deluxe so they'll be losing out on thousands from me. I don't think they'll care, someone else will probably book in my place. The thing that bothers me the most is they keep taking away perks, but they haven't added anything. I can stay at much nicer hotels off property for less, even with the parking fee. Universal deluxe hotels get you unlimited express pass, if Disney had something like that it would be something, but I doubt they ever will.

I agree with you. Hopefully this will impact their bookings enough to make them think twice about other added fees. Unfortunately, I don't think it will stop them from charging it now. I also think it will impact bookings across the board. People who stay in Deluxe may still be on a budget just as much as people who stay Value. I hate when people assume that everyone booked at the deluxe resorts are rich somehow and can afford all of the added fees. Most have just saved more money to pay for the added expense and the parking may still be a deal breaker.

 

[lambdabeta]

Possibly, but in that case, wouldn't they have to pay the parks' parking fees anyway? So for someone who opts to stay off-site solely to avoid Disney's parking fee and will still visit the parks each day, I'd have to wonder what the actual savings is in terms of parking fees... not much I bet. I realize a lot of off-site properties provide a greater savings than just parking, but you are trading convenience and the Disney bubble for a cost savings, be it significant or not. It just depends on what's important to everyone.

That is just it. The Disney Bubble is not worth it to many people anymore. The price differences can be huge. That extra cash goes a long way to pay for food, parking or any number of other things for your vacation. Being in the bubble is not what it used to be. I don't find Disney transportation very convenient which is why I like having a car on property. Staying off property can be just as convenient if you stay at the right resort. It does depend on what is important to you. It seems this added fee is very important for a lot of people to not want to go to Disney, in a group of people who love Disney.

 

[msk]

Thanks for posting the email addresses. I have sent one to all! It may not do any good, but I feel a little better. Maybe we can make a difference.

robert.a.iger@disney.com
George.kalogridis@disney.com
guest.services@disneyworld.com

 

[DISNEY1975]

Although, if people are staying offsite to avoid Disney’s parking fee, it probably means they have a car with them. I don’t think people who fly in are going to be looking offsite because of this change.

I fly in and rent a car because A) Disney transportation is not great B) I have many meals planned around the bubble and dont want to be wasting time waiting for a bus out of the park, then waiting for a bus to the place Im dining.

We mostly spend 11 - 12 nights, park hopping, going to water parks, dining at different resorts etc..etc... after spend time by the pool mid day,each day to make it a bit of a relaxing vacation, so its a lot of back and worth.

People who stay in Deluxe may still be on a budget just as much as people who stay Value. I hate when people assume that everyone booked at the deluxe resorts are rich somehow and can afford all of the added fees. Most have just saved more money to pay for the added expense and the parking may still be a deal breaker.

I am definitely on a budget, I like my trip basically pre paid except for souvenirs and tips, which I pay cash or my debit card. I do not like a bill at the end of my trip, and just knowing I will walk out of there with $300 to pay just for parking my car has me steaming. $300 could buy my daughter lots of cute stuff that she keep for many years. Heck, thats my Disney Dooney and Bourke handbag that I have a hard time justifying buying...now I just throw that money out the window. Not this Mom.

 

[lambdabeta]

For those of us who drive to Disney, this change just opened up more options for the next trip. I have points from several chains that I can use for hotels that are just a few miles from property. All of which are as nice as a moderate resort for at least $50 less per night and do not charge a parking fee or resort fee.

My husband and I would always stay on property out of convenience and we hate taking Disney buses, so it was added value that if we stayed on property we could drive and park at the parks for free. I wasn't blatantly charged for my car. If I now have to give Disney $20 a day for my car one way or the other, I might as well try to get more for my money and stay elsewhere. I can still drive to the Poly or AKL for dinner and park for free.

Maybe Disney did me a favor and encouraged me to look for more elsewhere. I don't like to be nickel and dimed.

Exactly!!! That is a great answer.

 

[Farro]

(mood lightening)

Here's a bit of good news for those of us who enjoyed these at least! Citrus Swirls back!

https://wdwnt.com/2018/03/the-citrus-swirl-returns-to-the-magic-kingdom-due-to-popular-demand/